This invention relates generally to transporting and positioning devices.
More particularly, this invention relates to devices for transporting substrates, especially printed circuit boards, to and between precisely indexed locations or work stations and performing work such as component attachment thereon.
Substrates such as printed circuit boards are conventionally conveyed to and between work stations by mechanical means such as conveyor belts and the like. Once delivered to a work station, the substrate is adjusted to or moved between precisely indexed positions for operations such as drilling and component insertion or attachment by mounting the substrate on an X-Y pantograph device. Such a pantograph device typically is moved by helical drive actuators in an X and Y direction controlled either manually or by means of a computer controlled servo system such as that disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,739,158.
It is also known to transport sheet material such as strips of photographic film to and from a document sensing station by means of a pneumatic transport chute in which the film is supported on an air cushion. Such a system is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,103,850.